The term “tripod” used in this document is intended to signify a support structure particularly for optical, photographic and cinematographic equipment, including at least three legs interconnected by a stabilizer. Structures of the aforesaid type are known from the current production of the assignee of the present application.
In the known tripods provision is made for the stabilizer to have telescopic rods connected at one end to the respective leg and converging at the opposite ends in a common connection.
Such rods each comprise two rod members telescopically slideable one inside the other, and an arresting mechanism for reversibly blocking the relative sliding of the rod members with respect to each other.
Normally, the arresting mechanisms used are of the type with a sleeve that can be clamped, or with locking by a handle or lever. In all cases, provision is made for direct intervention by the operator on the locking structure both for locking the rod members in the desired position and for releasing them when, after use, it is desired to close and move the tripod.
This second operation, in particular, is especially unwanted since, when it is desired to close and move the tripod to bring it to a new location, it is often necessary to act promptly and rapidly, for example in order to catch the images of a specific contingent situation.
It is therefore an obvious hindrance for it to be necessary, for example in a three-legged tripod, to unlock all three rods of the stabiliser in order to be able to close the tripod.